HF 1419

as introduced - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to early childhood education; establishing
the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation, a
public-private partnership; appropriating money for
the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin MINNESOTA EARLY LEARNING FOUNDATION.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Goal. new text end

new text begin The Minnesota Early Learning
Foundation is a public-private partnership which will identify
cost-effective ways to deliver quality early care and education
experiences and parent education for families whose children are
at risk of being unprepared for school. The partnership will
also develop infrastructure supports and accountability measures
to increase quality of early care and education settings and
will build community capacity for school readiness. The
partnership will evaluate the resulting benefits and long-term
savings to the Minnesota economy and the effectiveness of
strategies for increasing children's readiness for school at
kindergarten entrance.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Board. new text end

new text begin The Minnesota Early Learning Foundation,
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, shall be
governed by a board made up of public and private citizens with
at least 51 percent of the members from the private sector. The
governor shall appoint the public sector members, including
government, academia, and civil society.
new text end

new text begin A review and planning advisory committee shall provide
knowledgeable counsel and advice to the executive director and
board for development of policies and procedures for the
Minnesota Early Learning Foundation and review of cost-effective
strategies for strengthening Minnesota's early care and
education capabilities. The committee shall include parents,
representatives of the early care and education field, K-12
education, and business leaders, and shall reflect the ethnic
and geographic diversity of the state of Minnesota.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Matching funds; awards. new text end

new text begin The Minnesota Early
Learning Foundation shall match dollars appropriated from the
state with nonpublic dollars raised by the board. The board
shall award grants for:
new text end

new text begin (1) pilot projects that demonstrate successful approaches
to the delivery of early childhood services and parent education
to low-income families;
new text end

new text begin (2) scholarships to low-income families to access early
childhood parent education and high-quality early learning
programs for their children; and
new text end

new text begin (3) strategies to improve the quality of early care and
education through early learning standards and assessment, a
quality rating system, program improvement grants, and
professional development grants.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $....... is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal
year 2006 to the commissioner of education for the Minnesota
Early Learning Foundation.
new text end